Summary: A thousand years ago human civilization collapsed, from a combination of environmental damage and the madness of a distributed AI known as Pax Machina. The surviving humans retreating to flying cities held aloft by massive anti-gravity generators, leaving the world below to Pax Machina and a near uncountable variety of genetically uplifted ( Read more... )

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Pity poor Andy Weir. After starting his artistic career writing and drawing the fantasy comedy webcomic Casey and Andy, followed by the lesser, unfinished comic Cheshire ( Read more... )

 
Just a few inspirations (positive and negative) that helped create the For Your Safety universe.

Books

I, Robot (1950). Isaac Asimov. The starting point for popularization of the concept of benevolent robots, introducing Asimov’s famous “Three Laws of Robotics.” Most of the short stories within are mysteries, pointing out the flaws and loopholes of ( Read more... )

Breaking the Chains of Gravity: The Story of Spaceflight Before NASA, Amy Shira Teitel ( Read more... )

So has anyone ever written a liberal techno-thriller?

Summary: Three years after the death of her beloved husband, Aral Vorkosigan, Sergyar's Vicerine Countess Betan Survey Capt. (ret.) Cordelia Vorkosigan is finally emerging from her fog of grief to begin her life again for the third time. At 76 she's middle-aged for a Galactic, and serving Barrayar for the rest of her life isn't in her plans, but ( Read more... )

With the e-arc release of seawasp's next Phoenix book, it was time I got off my ass and review the last one. :)

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Summary: Kyri Vantage, sole remaining true Justiciar of the god Myrionar, having driven out the false Justiciars from her home nation, sets out help her friend the exiled prince of Skysand Tobimar and his Intelligent Toad companion ( Read more... )

Phoenix Rising, Ryk Spoor

Summary: In this sprawling fantasy novel by seawasp, young noblewoman Kyri Vantage must take on dark forces as she investigates and seeks justice for her murdered family, enlisting the aid of a variety of unusual allies.

Review: This is Ryk Spoor's big arsed, doorstop sized fantasy series, which very deliberately combines ( Read more... )

Summary: The magical land of Oz has fallen, destroyed by two evil wizards who escaped their punishments inflicted on them by Princess Ozma, combining forces in an uneasy alliance to conquer all. Only the sky kingdom of King Iris Mirabillis, Lord of Rainbows, remains free. And from there he sends his daughter, Polychrome Glory, to the Mortal World ( Read more... )

Listening to the Audible edition of Rendezvous With Rama [1] and just got to the bit where they realize why the southern cliffs of the Cylindrical Sea are 500 meters high compared to the 50 meters for the northern shore, to accommodate the sea's rise against the aft end when Rama accelerates.

Except when Rama stops accelerating, wouldn't that mean ( Read more... )